Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus, and We Come Together on Earth!
I. INTRODUCTION The main assumption of this “family model”(see “Creating a Family Model”) is that in God’s Kingdom on the Earth'(CIG),' everything, including human institutions, will be an extension of the “ideal family,” which in turn will reflect the image and character of God. Unificationism defines God’s image '''as the union of opposites. These are the “dual characteristics” of male/female(+/-), and internal/external(SS/HS). It further describes '''God’s character, in part, as consisting of “four realms of heart.” In this post, we will explore how society in various fields is moving in the direction of CIG in terms of reflecting the unity of male/female within God's image. Future posts will explore how this "CIG Revolution" is also creating a society which reflects the unity of internal/external within God' image, as well as the "four realms of heart" within God's character. II. UNITY OF MALE/FEMALE IN CIG John Gray is famous for his book entitled Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus, which highlighted some of the differences between male and female perspectives. In the CIG, the unity of male and female will be highlighted, not the differences. In other words, the key will be how these often opposite perspectives can be woven together to produce an organic whole. Dr. Andrew Wilson gave a talk at the Head-wing Politics seminar in NYC(May 8, 2011), sponsored by the UTS Alumni Association, which emphasized the need to bring male and female together as equal partners. He quoted from an original transcript that Rev. Moon wrote in his own hand in 1951(which will be published in the near future) which stated: “ When we can know this (Heavenly) Father, and attend Him as our Father, and likewise attend our '(Heavenly) Mother, 'then the time will have arrived when the ideal of re-creation commences on the earth'. It is our fundamental purpose, once we know the time and regain our Father and Mother, to build heaven and earth entirely overflowing with joy.” Dr. Wilson pointed out that during the time of restoration, the wife was supposed to attend God through attending the husband who was restorationally closer to God. However, he said that now that the time of restoration is over, and we are entering the age of CIG('''which literally means “two becomes one”), the husband and wife will reflect Heavenly Father and Heavenly Mother, respectively, and will come together as equals to form a “true family.” This difference will have great implications not only for our Church but also for all aspects of the CIG society(i.e., politics, etc.). . Rev. Moon talked about the necessity for unified action in a speech he gave in 1977 entitled “The Road of Religion, and the Will of God.” “Everything naturally comes in pairs, in order to create action and result. Can you laugh without moving one side of your mouth? Suppose you keep your lower lip still; can you laugh with just your upper lip? You need to keep both eyes open in order to capture one image. This unified action by a pair creates holy action because that is God’s way.” '''III. APPLICATION TO SOCIETY As this Providence unfolds, we should see examples of how each field is coming to reflect the unity of male/female within God's image. In the Unification Movement, Rev. In Jin Moon has often stated that she is working to create a more unified family, and to instill more of a “motherly” perspective. And Rev. In Jin has further talked about the importance of incorporating the female perspective in society at-large. She said the following to a national assembly of woman(WFWP) in 2010: “We must have a voice, a presence in different areas of life, not just in the context of a family but in the context of a society, and in politics, religion, and economics as well…That is why women are necessary. We need to be in positions of power, as leaders in religion, politics, and economy. We need to show the world that it can be nurtured, guided, and empowered through compassionate leadership.” In the field of Politics, there is often a battle of “all against all” between left-leaning Democrats and right-leaning Republicans. One side devises strategies to dominate the other, and big “holes” often ensue in the policies enacted by one side or the other(i.e., when they are in the majority). And even when there is “compromise” between the two, these “watered-down” policies often lack real strength and focus. Now in the era of CIG, or the time of “heavenly affairs,” politics will reflect more and more the unity within God between left and right, plus and minus, male and female. It will thus move in a more head-wing direction.'' Indeed, a number of sources have speculated about how the more liberally-minded party(Democrats) reflects the feminine side of God’s nature, and the conservative(Republicans) the more masculine side. For example, Dr. Tyler Hendricks wrote the following in a 1994 article in the Unification News: '“The left, I would generalize, is the relatively feminine partner: embracing, reconciling, concerned about''' welfare and working for fairness. It views the constituency as children who need parental(i.e., “motherly”) care. The left then does not consider property rights as important as human rights and the rights of defenseless species. The right, then, would be the relatively masculine counterpart, emphasizing competition, creativity, and concern about opportunity and expansion…the masculine would tend more than the feminine to deny the present reality and to leave the resources with the people who earned them(private ownership). It views the constituency as independent agents best left on their own, to succeed or fail and accept the consequences without a safety net.” (“The Resolution of the 2-Party System: Marriage as a Model for Political Society,” UNews, Nov. 1994) In the CIG, policies will reflect the “best” ideas of the Democrats and Republicans, and/or the male/female perspectives. “Best” will be determined by the extent to which the ideas of each party reflect a Godly perspective. 'For example, according to this definition, gay rights would not be considered to be one of the “best” ideas of left-leaning Democrats because same-sex relationships run contrary to the male/female dynamic within God’s image. At the same time, a love for the Creation/environment, as well as ensuing policies related to sustainability, would, as a general principle, be included. In bringing together the “best” of male/female perspectives, plus and minus, Republican and Democrat, the union of both in terms of policy would not lead to more “watered-down compromise,” but rather more effective solutions to the problems being addressed. The reason is that the inclusion of the “best” the other side has to offer will make up for the deficiencies, from a Godly perspective, inherent in either side’s solution taken by itself. Dr. Gordon Anderson wrote about this need for both parties to expand their horizons(“Headwing Philosophy and the Law of Nations”) when he stated: '“The primary values espoused by both parties are essential to the maintenance of a healthy society and the partial set of values espoused by either party is inadequate. …Greater peace will come when the right wing broadens its agenda to include such things as social justice, environmental protection and a safety net for the indigent, and when the left wing broadens its agenda to recognize the efficiencies of the market, the protection of private property, and the importance of humility before' the Creator.” The unity of husband and wife within the ideal family will be the model, in the CIG, for the unity of the parties(that is, if the parties still exist as presently constituted). Rev. Moon spoke at one point(in the early1990’s) about how in God’s Kingdom, couples' '''would be chosen as representatives('by lottery'), and sessions of Congress would resemble extended family-type gatherings. Dr. Tyler Hendricks picked up on this theme when he wrote: '“The idea of electing men and women to all offices(co-responsibility) would lead to society modeled on the harmony, joy and creative power of a husband and wife in union. The hopeful side of this, I think, is that it provides the means to resolve the antagonistic and conflictual relations between the two parties, liberal and conservative. Liberal and conservative are feminine and masculine. As there has until now been no historical foundation for masculine/feminine unity in marriage, the masculine and feminine parties, representing the masculine and feminine viewpoints or principles, have conflicted in the governmental sphere. However, once the true principle of masculine/feminine unity is established in the marriage of the True Parents, the same unity can obtain in society. Thus, society can embody the dynamics of masculine and feminine energies, priorities and qualities, yet keep them in balance and harmony. “ '(“''The Resolution of the 2-Party System: Marriage as a Model for Political Society,” ('''''UNews, Nov. 1994) Is there evidence the political landscape is moving in this head-wing direction? John Zogby, the well-known political pollster, gave the following statistics from polls taken in 2008(before the last presidential election). He said that 80% of Americans believed “that it is very important that the next president be a person who can unite the country,” and that 83% of Americans believed “that the nation is so polarized between Democrats and Republicans that Washington can’t make progress in solving major problems.”''' This was the atmosphere leading up to the 2008 election of Barack Obama. One of the major campaign themes for both Obama and McCain was to go beyond “politics as usual,” and to bring together both Republicans and Democrats to solve common problems. Even though the extent to which this has been put into practice is debatable, the sentiments expressed, along with the great outpouring of support by the public, reflect this head-wing type desire which is an integral part of the '''CIG Revolution. In the field of health/medicine, different technologies and products are starting to emerge which incorporate this male/female or plus/minus dynamic. For example, Rev. Moon commissioned the creation of a “Happy Health” machine(see adjacent picture)which can bring together plus and minus ions within our bodies. For example, if there’s pain in one area of the body, it may be due to an imbalance between plus and minus ions, so this machine has the capability to create this balance and thus take away the pain. This is similar to the concept of grounding which matches positive ions with negative ones to prevent electrical shock and volatility. Another example is a company called Vibes Up which has focused on the need to balance plus and minus, or masculine and feminine energies, in order to attain greater health. It has created numerous products which promote that balance, such as energy-balancing bracelets, and “earth” shoe pads which connect positive ions in our bodies with the negative ions in the earth. Other companies produce “grounding” mats which can balance the overabundance of positive masculine ions(electromagnetic rays) emanating from computers, cell phones and other electronics with negative ions in the earth. In the field of car design, a field which has traditionally been dominated by the male perspective given by male designers, female designers are starting to emerge. A recent article detailed the work of Anne Forschner, a 25-year-old German designer who was hired by BMW to provide a new(perhaps more female) perspective. She has developed interesting designs for the exterior of cars(see adjacent pictures)which mimic nature and can improve aerodynamics. In addition, she’s designed some innovations in the interior of the car which she described in the following way: “The project is inspired by nature, and imports attributes of insects into the interior of a vehicle, such as flexible and clever materials. Backrests can be taken out and moved to different places, pockets can be shaped personally, and bags can be randomly fixed on the walls or ceilings, using the function of elastic wings and cocoons.” ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' In the field of architecture, the feminine perspective is also making its mark. One prominent example is the revolutionary and breathtaking new structure in Chicago called the Aqua building. This 81-story skyscraper was designed by Jeanne Gang, and is considered to be the tallest building in the world designed by a female architect. Its unique structure has been described in the following way: '“The building’s impeccably modern facade features curved floor slabs made of smooth white concrete that ebb and flow across the building’s face like waves on a body of water. The design incorporates irregularly- shaped balconies that taper and swell, allowing for breathtaking views of the city not afforded by standard flat-front balcony treatments. The ripples that animate the skin of the Aqua also enable pronounced energy savings…” On a lighter note, this male/female balance has implications for just about everything, even touching the world of graffiti-making. An article in the NY Times(May 19, 2011) explained about a new trend called “yarn bombing” which is an attempt to add the feminine perspective to the world of graffiti. This has touched iconic symbols within the US, such as the bull located near the NY Stock Exchange in NY, as well as the famous Rocky statue in Philadelphia. It has also been sighted near the Eiffel Tower in Paris, and other places around the world. One yarn bomber commented: “Street art and graffiti are usually so male dominated. Yarn bombing is more feminine. It’s like graffiti with grandma sweaters.” In conclusion, there are numerous examples in each field of how society is changing to reflect the unity of male/female within God(NOTE: Does anyone have any other examples they could add?) This is all part of the CIG Revolution! The next post will examine how society is changing to reflect the unity of internal/external(SS/HS)within God’s image.